Barcelona is a city of wonder for those who enjoy a good run since it has so many great places to go running. Be it in Collserola Park or in the Montjuïc gardens and mountain, you will often find people practicing this popular form of exercise. If you are someone who enjoys running and like to do it at a competitive level, we give you some of the most popular annual running events in Barcelona that you can take part in.
Table of Contents
Zurich Marató de Barcelona
Photo via Pexels
One of the biggest sporting and running events in the city by far is the Barcelona Marathon which takes place in March. The course takes you through some of the most iconic sites of Barcelona which makes it one of the most attractive events for a runner. Zurich Marató began back in 1980 when Ramon Oliu launched the first marathon in the city. Now the marathon is a huge event with an average over 150,000 runners from 146 countries taking part each year.
Related article: Winter sports in Barcelona
Cursa El Corte Inglés
The renowned department store El Corte Inglés organizes its very own running event called Cursa El Corte Inglés every April. Around 55,000 people participate in the 10k course taking runners inside the Montjuic Olympic Stadium. The course has been going since 1986 and it has become one of the most popular fun runs in Europe. Each year it supports a different organization that benefits from the publicity raised during the event.
Cursa de la Mercé
During the Mercé celebrations, the Barcelona city council organizes a 10km run. The Cursa de la Mercé takes you through iconic sites of Barcelona including the Arc de Triomf, Plaza de España and Plaça de Catalunya. The start and end of the course are always at Avenida de María Cristina, between Plaza España and the Montjuïc mountain.
Carrera de la Mujer
Now in its 12th year, Carrera de la Mujer or the Women’s Race in Barcelona takes place in November. It is a 7.8km course which is similar to that of the Mercé as it also starts at the Montjuïc Fountain and passes through Plaça de Catalunya, providing a great run through the center of the city.
Related article: Most exciting water activities in Barcelona
The Color Run
Photo via Pixabay
For runners who are looking for something more fun than the usual sporting event, the Color Run is your best option. A 5km run in October, where you end up covered from head to toe in all the colors of the rainbow. The event actually started in the United States and has grown to over 600 cities with more than 6 million participants. The idea is to promote running and encourage more people to try it.
Are you a keen runner? Have you participated in any of these events? Let us know about your experience by commenting below!
Looking for an apartment in the city? Let ShBarcelona help you in your search.
Hi, I’m from Canada and I’ will be going to Spain to see Madrid and Barcelona 19 -5oct 2017 ( and would like to do a race !! Overthere!!
I was wondering if there’s a website for races that day.. 5k 10k ( 19sept – 5oct)
Could you send it to me please, merci, that’s